Sampling various foods is one of my many passions and I enjoy trying out different recipes to satisfy the diverse palates of my growing family and sharing my stories from the kitchen table or where I can park my laptop and appetite!...

Sunday, December 31, 2006

There's alot to be said about being able to share my food adventures with my friends and family around the world these last 3 plus months, and I am honored that you stopped by to visit too.

So, with less than 11 hours before 2007 begins (for this part of the world at least), here's hoping for a better new year for everyone. And as we make more New Year resolutions this coming year for a new 'us', here's wishing you a HAPPY NEW YOU as well. A happy new you to you!LOL

May there be peace on earth and goodwill to all humans, and my wish to all of you for a safe and HAPPY NEW YEAR!

The following excerpt is taken from the website www.organicconsumers.org, and it is worth a minute of your time to read. As a concerned parent and consumer, I am deeply troubled by the actions the FDA is taking towards the sale of cloned meat and milk from animals and am appalled that they have stated that there will likely be no label for these products as well. We have yet to receive concise facts that cloned meat, milk and cheese can be deemed safe, and we need to let the FDA be aware of our concerns on this issue. You can also go to this link to sign up a petition to the FDA and read the same article there.

TAKE ACTION: FDA APPROVES FOOD FROM CLONESDespite a September survey found that 64% of Americans are repulsed by the idea of eating food from cloned animals, the FDA announced this week that milk, eggs and meat from cloned animals will soon be allowed on the market.

Ignoring a number of disturbing studies suggesting potential human health hazards, Stephen F. Sundlof, director of the FDA Center for Veterinary Medicine said "that meat and milk from cattle, swine and goat clones is as safe to eat as the food we eat every day." Consumer, food safety, and animal welfare groups have condemned the announcement, pointing out that animal cloning is inherently unpredictable and hazardous, and that the practice of cloning has led to a high number of cruel and painful deformities in the experimental animals' offspring.

Recognizing that requiring labels on cloned food would lead to a massive boycott by consumers, FDA bowed to industry lobbyists by stating that there likely will be no required labeling of food products containing ingredients from cloned animals. The FDA's controversial proposed regulations in the Federal Register will now be followed by a three month public comment period.

The OCA is calling on health and humane-minded consumers across the nation to stop this outrageous and hazardous regulation from coming into force as federal law. The FDA will be accepting comments until April 2007. Please consider making the message an/or subject line below unique before submitting to the FDA. Thanks!

Thursday, December 28, 2006

Christmas has come and gone, and it has been cold and snowy outside. The above is a picture taken this morning of one of my many rose bushes buried in the snow, with a few rose hips clinging on still. At this moment, the children are tucked into their cozy, warm beds fast asleep, and I am enjoying a little quiet moment of 'me' time as I return the sliced biscotti back into the oven and wait it to finish cooking on their sides while I sip my cup of hot white chocolate with mini marshmallows and yes, a dollop of whipped cream. No, not the kind I would love to whip up myself, but the kind that you get from the freezer of the grocery store called cool whip. It's just easier at this hour... Guess it's time to contemplate on that New Year's resolution once again. Better wait till after a bite of the white chocolate, cranberry and pistaschio biscotti... I tinkered with a basic biscotti recipe in High Attitude Baking and made these instead.

Using a vegetable peeler, shave milk chocolate into curls; set aside.Place white chocolate in a medium heat-proof bowl; set aside. Place milk and cream in a medium saucepan set over medium heat until bubbles begin to form around edges of pan, about 4 minutes. Immediately pour mixture over white chocolate. When chocolate begins to melt, stir to combine. Whisk in vanilla. Continue whisking until a light foam forms.Serve immediately garnished with peppermint sticks, whipped cream, and chocolate curls.

Saturday, December 23, 2006

We had a lot of snow before Christmas this year, and the combination of a hot aromic oven filled with batches of cookies, breads and muffins each night was lovely! Had the oven working overtime with some yummy bakes. Here's just a sampling of the holiday treats. Wishing everyone a MerryChristmas, Happy Hanukkah, Happy Kwanzaa, Feliz Navidad, Happy Nikolaustag and Happy Holidays to all.

Friday, December 22, 2006

We had this version of roasted pork tenderloin for dinner tonight. The zesty flavor of the kumquats with the sweetness of the apricots and spiciness of the jalapeno complimented the roasted pork very well. I also added some dried cranberries to this recipe for some festival color and added sweetness to the dish. Served it with mashed potatoes and a brussels sprouts recipe from the Mayo Clinic. Pork Tenderloin recipe was from Bon Appétit.

Thursday, December 21, 2006

I enjoy many different festivals, especially when there's food involved! :P

Dongzhi is celebrated on Dec 22 this year.

Tang yuan are white and pink glutinous rice ball dumplings made with fillings of sesame seeds, peanuts, or red bean paste and served as a sweet dessert during Dongzhi, Chinese New Year, and the Lantern Festival. In Chinese cultures, there are often a play of words with the same intonations. The word tang which mean soup, sounds like another word - reunion, while yuan means happy. Also, the roundness and sweetness of this dessert symbolize unity and happy life for the family. Growing up, we usually have tang yuan during Chinese New Year. The tradition in my family is to serve one white glutinous rice ball (usually larger) with filling, with the colored ones (with or without filling) and it has to total to an odd number.

In China and to Chinese everywhere, Dongzhi is a Chinese solar term for the winter solstice festival. Friends and families get together to eat, laugh, drink, and be merry.

I started to celebrate the winter solstice when a friend from Hong Kong told me about this festival back in 1999. Since the day of the Dongzhi is longest night of the year, most Chinese believe that to counter the yang, we should put on bright clothes, visit friends, and have a party with food and laughter. To me, it's one more way to celebrate this holiday season! Cheers!

This year, I made tang yuan with red and green colors and used this recipe adapted from E of Tazz in the Kitchen. I thoroughly enjoyed the wonderful texture of the red bean soup and spicy flavor of the ginger syrup mixed together with the tang yuan in her recipe. It also creates a richer color for the liquid. Thanks E! This dessert is usually very sweet, so adjust the sugar to suit your tastebuds.Ingredients for Glutinous Rice Balls:250g (8 to 9 ounces) glutinous rice flourAbout 1 cup Water (more or less depending on the humidity)15-20g (1/2 to 3/4 ounce) brown sugarRed Food colouringMethod for Glutinous Rice Balls: Add sufficient water to flour and knead into dough. Divide dough into 2 parts. Add food colouring to one part. Knead each dough well. Make balls from the dough. Bring a pot of water to boil in a big pot and drop in dough balls to cook. When cooked, balls will rise to the surface. Drain balls and put in a big bowl. Add about 15-20g of sugar to mix with the balls. Set aside.Ingredients for Syrup:300ml (10 ounces) water4-5 pandan leaves, washed and tied into a knot,2-inch knob ginger, crushed (more if desired to give a strong ginger taste)About 100g (3 1/2 ounces) brown sugarMethod for Syrup: Bring water to boil in a pot with the pandan leaves and ginger. Add sugar and cook until sugar dissolves. Discard pandan leaves (if using) and ginger.

Monday, December 18, 2006

This is a great limey soup and a refreshing change from the holiday theme for the family. It's like the mexican version of tom yang soup and you can make it as spicy as you like. Another tasty recipe from Bon Appétit.

Saturday, December 16, 2006

One of the more popular dishes in chinese restaurants and one of H's favorite, I decided to indulge in a little deep fried chicken the chinese way. Used canola oil for a slightly healthier version. Made this using recipe adapted from J White.

For batter, mix egg with milk in a bowl, and sesame seeds with tapioca starch in another.Cut chicken into cubes. Dip chicken into egg mixture, then into sesame mixture. Deep fry chicken and cook for 3-5 mins. Drain on paper towels.Mix together honey, soy sauce, water, corn starch, ginger and red pepper flakes.Whisk until no corn starch lumps appear.Heat a skillet with one tbsp oil. Pour sauce mixture into a hot skillet and cook until sauce thickens slightly. Return chicken to skilletYou can add more water if sauce is too thick.Sprinkle with sesame seeds.Cover and simmer for 10 minutes or until chicken starts to soak up the sauce.Serve immediately with rice.

Friday, December 15, 2006

I am fortunate to be married a wonderful family, and my in-laws have a great sense of humor as is vailidated by this email I received from them today...

Here is a cookie recipe for you.......Ha haSubject: Christmas cookies recipe from my friend1 C water1 t baking soda1 C sugar1 C brown sugar4 large eggs1 C nuts2 C dried fruit1 bottle Tequila Sample the Tequila to check quality. Take a large bowl, check the Tequila again to be sure it is of the highest quality. Pour one level cup and drink. Turn on the electric mixer and beat one cup of butter in a large fluffy bowl. Add one teaspoon of sugar...beat again. At this point its best to make sure the Tequila is still ok....try another cup....just in case. Turn off the mixerer thingy. Break 2 leggs and add to the bowl and chuck in the cup of dried fruit. Pick the &*&*&*&' fruit off the floor. Mix on the turner. If the fried druit gets stuck in the beaterers just pry it loose with a drewscriver. Sample the Tequila to check for tonsisticity. Next, sift two cups of salt or something. Who giveshz a @!#%.

I am hoping to share all my recipes from this blog with my children one day, cause who knows how long I will be around. But on brighter note, I do intend to stick around for a long time! The above will be an heirloom recipe from their grandparents. (ha!) :)

Thursday, December 14, 2006

I couldn't make it to a party recently due to unforseen circumstances, and H brought back a little treat from JP and MP when he came home. It was a nice surprise, and my favorite Lindt truffles besides! Thanks H, JP and MP, for your sweet gift!

Heat the oven to 350°F. In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, sour cream, pumpkin purée, brown sugar, sugar, and butter. In another bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and cloves. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet, stirring until just mixed. Gently fold in the raisins. Grease and flour a muffin tin (or line it with muffin papers, preferably foil). Scoop about 1/2 cup batter into each tin so that the curve of the batter is even with the rim of the cup. (Refrigerate any extra batter in an airtight container for up to a week.) Bake the muffins in the middle of the oven until firm to the touch and a toothpick inserted into them comes out clean, 30 to 35 min. Remove the muffins from the tin when they're cool enough to handle.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.Mix cornstarch with water. In a small saucepan over low heat, combine cornstarch mixture, sugar, soy sauce, vinegar, sesame oil, garlic, green onions, ginger and ground black pepper. Simmer, stirring frequently, until sauce thickens and bubbles. Please taste and adjust seasonings to your liking. I like mine more gingery with a sweet tang.Cover a baking dish with foil.Put chicken pieces into a large ziplock bag. Flatten chicken with pounder. This is to prevent the raw chicken juices from taking over your workspace (yuk!). Place chicken pieces in dish and pour sauce over it. Turn pieces over to coat all sides.Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes. Turn pieces over, and broil for another 10-15 minutes, until no longer pink and juices run clear. Brush with sauce every 5 minutes during cooking.

Tuesday, December 12, 2006

We love the toasted nutty flavor of this recipe from grilling the rice. I used dried cranberries instead of umeborshi, and opted to do it on a griddle this time, and it came out pretty good. I didn't have the traditional triangular molds, so I used a christmas cookie mold this time. It is suppose to be a couple of bells, no?

Preheat grill. Mix soy sauce, sake and sugar and set aside.Since I don't have a onigiri rice mold, I shaped it by hand. Wet both hands. Shape the rice into the traditional triangular shape. Poke a hole in the center and fill the rice ball with the fillings of your choice. Seal with more rice on top and reshape.Grill about 5-10 mins per side, brushing with soy mixture at least twice on each side.Serve hot with meat dishes.

Monday, December 11, 2006

We used to go to our favorite japanese restaurant for sushi and the little ones would have their usual teriyaki chicken with rice and miso soup. Now it's not so easy eating out with wired toddlers who are ready to stretch their boundries in so many ways. It would be nice if we could bring some extra hands and eyes along to watch them, but not many of our friends are fond of japanese food, and grandparents on both sides won't touch it with their chopsticks either. Or any other utensils, I suppose.

So, I made some simple recipes for a japanese night in, and I like this variation of preparing spinach when we make a japanese dinner. The spinach is cooked or steamed till just wilted, and removed from the heat quickly. Drain well, and toss with dressing. A light and healthy side dish to teriyaki chicken.Recipe adapted from YoshizukaIngredients:1 pound spinach leaves3 tbsps white sesame1 tbsp sake2 tbsp sugar2 tbsp light soy sauceThe way I do it:Remove stems from spinach. I usually purchase a bag of spinach leaves for convenience. Wash and boil spinach till just wilted. Remove quickly. Drain the water very well.Toast sesame seeds. I use my spice toaster over the gas stove. I have used a non-stick skillet before over the gas stove to toast the sesame seeds. Be careful as they'll pop! Put half of the sesame seeds in a grinder and grind them. Add sugar, soy sauce, and sake in the grinder and mix well. Add spinach and stir well. I like to sprinkle the rest of sesame seeds on top as garnish, and also to let everyone know what ingredient is in the dish that way.

Sunday, December 10, 2006

OK. So I'm having some fun with the way word sounds. It's the season to be jolly and funny is as funny does. And no, I haven't dipped into the Bailey's Irish Cream(yet)!My children love miso soup. Whenever we go out for sushi, they would slurp up the miso soup with spoons that are bigger than their mouths! They also love teriyaki chicken. Since I was making a japanese dinner tonight, I decided to add some miso soup to the menu. I orginally found this recipe from Saveur Magazine awhile ago, and I usually double the recipe. I used enokitake mushrooms, shiitake, and butter mushrooms. I also substituted mitsuba leaves with chinese celery leaves (available as asian markets). It takes a little longer to prepare the broth, but it's worth the effort.

Kinoko no Misoshiru (Miso Soup with Mushrooms)

SERVES 4

Slender, small-capped white enokitake mushrooms, plump brown shimeji, and fragile, earthy maitake are available at Japanese grocery stores (shiitake mushrooms may be substituted), as are mitsuba leaves, which taste something like celery.

Number 1 stock (ichiban dashi)MAKES ABOUT 2 1/2 CUPSDashi, the stock at the heart of all Japanese cooking, should taste of the sea. It is simple to make as there are only three ingredients:1 oz. wide-cut konbu (dried kelp)4 1/4 cups cold water4 cups dried bonito flakes 1. The trick—when preparing ichiban-dashi, to be used as a clear soup—is in keeping the stock and the konbu (dried kelp) in it below a boil. Wipe any dirt off 1 oz. wide-cut konbu. Place konbu in a medium saucepan with 4 cups cold water. Heat over medium-high heat until water just begins to simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook—without allowing stock to come to a full simmer—until konbu is soft, about 2 minutes.2. Remove konbu. Increase heat to medium-high and bring stock to a full boil. Add 1/4 cup cold water to lower temperature of stock, then add 4 cups dried bonito flakes. Do not stir. Return to a boil, then immediately remove pot from heat. (If bonito flakes boil more than a few seconds, flavor will be too strong.) Allow bonito flakes to settle, skim foam, then carefully pour stock through a sieve lined with cheesecloth. Use stock immediately.

Friday, December 08, 2006

We had thoroughly enjoyed our ham earlier in the week and I saved the ham in the freezer for a couple of days. As I come from a line of women who love making soup from bones, I had to do something with that bone.:)With some meat left on the ham bone, I wanted to make soup out of our savory ham so that we can enjoy it on this cold day. Since I have a bag of yellow split peas in the pantry, I adapted this recipe from Gourmet.

Rinse peas and combine in a 6- to 8-quart heavy pot with water, salt pork, and half of onions, carrots and celery. Bring to a boil, partially covered, until peas are tender but not falling apart, 1 to 1 1/2 hours.Cook leek and remaining onions in butter in a large heavy skillet over moderate heat, stirring, until softened, about 10 minutes. Add to soup along with chives, savory, salt, and pepper and continue to simmer, partially covered, until peas are falling apart and soup is thickened, 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Remove ham bone, if using, then shred meat and return meat to soup.

Thursday, December 07, 2006

Had learned this technique in class and it was more difficult to work with rolled fondant on a square cake than a round cake because of the corners. There was alot of rolling to make the square big enough to cover the cake. And alot of stretching and pulling. I had to work fast before the the fondant dried up. The colored fondant didn't dry as quickly. Personally, I love the look of the smooth fondant, but am not too fond of the taste. It was more work for fondant cakes than buttercream. Now I know why bakeries charge more for fondant cakes! It was worth the effort, and the decorating was fun! I chose red for the holidays. It does look like a package, doesn't it?

Mix shrimp with wine, salt, egg white, cornstarch and oil. Set non-stick skillet with oil in high heat. Fry the shrimp over medium heat until just pink. Remove shrimp and set aside. Remove all but 2 tbs oil and saute onions until fragrant. Add the vegetables with 2 tbsp water and stir fry until veggies are cooked. Add shrimp and the thickening mixture of salt, constarch, sesame oil and 2 tbsp broth. Serve immediately with white or brown rice.

A girlfriend just returned from Singapore, and had asked me about this tea. It is served widely in chinese restaurants as an alternative to chinese tea, and is really easy to make.

Since I have a habit of estimating recipes, I found the following recipe at the website www.enjoyingtea.com and this would have a more accurate measurement of the ratio of water to dried chrysanthemum flowers.

Chrysanthemum Tea

(For Reducing Internal Heat & Mild Sunstroke)

Description: This great tasting tea cleanses your body and reduces internal heat. In summer, when it is very hot, people run the risk of getting sunstroke. The chrysanthemum teas can help prevent and treat mild sunstroke.Ingredients10 - 20 Golden Chrysanthemum Tea1 - 3 teaspoon of honey or rock sugar3 cups (850ml) of water

Monday, December 04, 2006

Ever since I had the savory scone at Panera's, I have been looking for a similar but healthier recipe. And since I have some honey baked ham in the fridge, I decided to try a recipe from the web. Found this Weight Watcher's version on the web and adapted it. Made it today. It's not bad, and H loves it!1 1/2 cups unbleached white flour1/2 cup plus 1 tbs King Arthur's white wheat flour1 tbs baking powder1 tsp salt2 teaspoons sugar3 tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled,cut into pieces3/4 cup shredded low-fat cheddar cheese (can use regular cheese)1 cup cooked ham,cubed3/4 cup buttermilk1 organic brown egg1/4 cup flourcooking sprayMethodPreheat oven to 400 degrees.Coat a metal baking sheet with cooking oil and set aside.Combine first 2 Flours, baking powder, salt and sugar in a bowl.Cut in margarine with a pastry blender or fork until mixture resembles coarse meal; stir in cheese and ham.In a separate bowl, whisk together buttermilk and egg whites with a fork.Add milk mixture to flour mixture, stirring just until moist.Place dough onto lightly floured surface; knead 6 times.Place dough on baking sheet and pat into 8-inch circle; cut dough into 8 wedges; Separate a little.Bake until slightly browned; about 20 minutes.

Sunday, December 03, 2006

The weather was very cold on Saturday and Sunday (about 14 degrees F on Saturday, and 20 degrees F on Sunday, and we were out doing errands when we spotted a familar store while driving to our destination. It was the Honey Baked Ham store! We looked at each other, and laughed as we both agreed that it was a stop we had to make. So, we bought a 'small' ham that would feed 6-8 people, and it was almost impossible not to dig into it before we got home.My family loves honey baked ham, and we usually have it on Easter. After ham sandwiches, ham and cheese omelettes, and ham, crackers and olives snacks, I made ham fried rice, and ham and cheese scones (recipe coming up).Made this fried rice using onions, fried garlic chips, green beans, eggs, salt and pepper.

Friday, December 01, 2006

High in Vitamin B, protein, calcium, iron, etc, this is a super grain-like seed that I have been wanting to try on the family. Came across these recipes, and tried it over the past weeks... I changed the called ingredient water to low-salt, range-free chicken broth in the second and third recipes as the first one originally called for it already.

Whisk together yogurt, lime juice, curry powder, ginger, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Add oil in a slow stream, whisking until combined.Rinse quinoa in a bowl using 5 changes of water, rubbing grains and letting them settle before pouring off water (if quinoa does not settle, drain in a large sieve after each rinsing).Cook quinoa in a 4- to 5-quart pot of boiling low-salt chicken broth for 15-20 minutes using ratio of 2 parts water to 1 part quinoa. Toss quinoa with curried yogurt and remaining ingredients in a large bowl. Serve warm or at room temperature.

The results were satisfactory. It has a chewy texture, and probably an acquired taste for us. My favourite is the southwest quinoa below.

Bring 1 1/2 cups of cold water to a boil. Place quinoa in a fine mesh strainer and rinse thoroughly under cold water. Place quinoa and salt in boiling water. Bring back to a boil. Cover and reduce heat to a simmer. Cook for about 15 minutes. Turn off the heat and let sit covered for about 5 minutes. Drain quinoa in fine mesh strainer and set aside to cool. Place salsa, yogurt, cilantro, olive oil, lime juice and zest in a blender. Pulse until smooth. Season with salt. Place in refrigerator to chill. Toss cooled quinoa with chicken, radish, beans, pepper, corn, and cilantro. Add just enough dressing to coat evenly. Serve chilled.